Seamer Hasan Ali took a career-best match-haul of 10 wickets as Pakistan blitzed South Africa with the new ball on Monday to complete a 95-run victory in the second and final Test here and win the series 2-0.
Chasing 370 for victory, which would have been a Test record in Pakistan, South Africa were well placed at 241 for three just after lunch on the final day following a century from Aiden Markram (108).
But when the home side took the new ball, Hasan (five for 60) and Shaheen Afridi (four for 51) decimated the South African middle order with vicious swing bowling to dismiss the visitors for 274.
Hasan ended with career-best match figures of 10 for 114 as South Africa lost their last seven wickets for only 33 runs. It was yet another batting collapse, something that has been a feature of South Africa’s cricket both at home and away for the last few years. But on this occasion, it was brought about more by some high-class seam bowling.
“It was outstanding from Hasan because he has awareness and took advantage of the experience of playing here (in Rawalpindi),” Pakistan captain Babar Azam said at the post-match presentation.
“At one stage we thought the game could’ve gone either way. But we knew if we got one wicket, we could come back into the game again. And then we did that with the new ball.”
The excellent Markram started the final day with Rassie van der Dussen (48), but the latter lasted only a few balls before he was bowled by Hasan, who then trapped Faf du Plessis lbw shortly afterwards. South Africa turned the tide with a superb stand of 106 for the fourth wicket between Markram and Temba Bavuma (61) that brightened their prospects.
But when Pakistan took the new ball, the game changed dramatically as the flat wicket came to life, and Hasan and Shaheen were able to extract prodigious movement. Markram edged Hasan to Imran Butt at second slip, and off the very next ball, captain Quinton de Kock inexplicably flashed at a wide delivery and was caught by the same player for nought.
Brief scores: Pakistan 272 & 298. South Africa 201 & 274 (A. Markram 108; H. Ali 5/60; S. Afridi 4/51). Pakistan won by 95 runs.
